


the very first person

by allwedoisdrive



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gay Will Byers, Gen, max and will, takes place between season 2 and 3, why does no one talk about this FRiENDSHIPPP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:34:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21918394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allwedoisdrive/pseuds/allwedoisdrive
Summary: The first person William Byers told he was gay was Max Mayfield, funnily enough.
Relationships: Will Byers & Maxine "Max" Mayfield
Kudos: 61





	the very first person

The first person William Byers told he was gay was Max Mayfield, funnily enough. 

Will knew he had no reason to fret, because he was absolutely sure of the fact that she’d accept it. He had proof, actually. In between second and third period the other day,when the two were walking to gym, two senior guys walked by holding hands. Tommy, the sycophant that used to be friends with Steve, yelled slurs at the couple as he was walking past. Max yelled at Tommy louder. Will was too shell-shocked to say anything but the seniors thanked Max, and whenever Max passes them in the hall, they always wave or nod at her.

The party was at The Palace Arcade, playing their games late one night, and afterwards, one by one everyone left in on their bikes. Except for Will and Max. Joyce still had her intangible grip on Will, scared each time he arrived home too late or trekked out in the forest alone. She always insisted on driving him home, and she went as far as to call Max’s parents offering a ride to get to know her better. 

It was too sweet to be embarrassing.

“It’s cold, isn’t it?” Max said into the silence, shivering against the brick wall.

The arcade was long closed, and Joyce was late, but the neon lights from the signs illuminated just enough for Max and Will to see the outlines of each other. For years Will wondered why they kept the lights on after hours, but he’d always been too shy to ask the management.  
They all loved Will anyway, for he was the most polite regular they had. Or maybe it was because he was a relieving contrast to Dustin, who always cursed at the games, and accused them of fraudulent games. Will then realized he should probably respond to Max.

“What? Oh um, yeah.” Will said, shaking himself out of the thoughts and memories. “But don’t tell my mom I said that, she warned me about not wearing a jacket and she swore I would regret not wearing one.”

Max giggled and they stood in silence again. Despite the comfortable silence, Will could tell Max felt a tad awkward. Mike’s assholeness made Max still not feel completely wanted in the party. Elle was back, and the Snowball was a whole three weeks ago, and the hell storm was gone, yet Mike still had not apologized. Like a good deal of white men, Mike was obsessed with his pride. It was obvious Max felt as if she needed to be the coolest person all the time, to compensate for her supposed wompy presence.

“You know, my stepmom is always like that. Ha ha. Parents are so overbearing and protective sometimes.” Max states into the silence again.

“Understatement of the year.” Will still feels guilty saying it. He can’t imagine how he’d act if his mom or Jonathan went missing for a week. So he never truly complains about how his mother hovers. It’s how she knows he’s here.

And then another absence of sound. Max interrupted it again, nervously babbling something about how this might be the first time Max was really alone with someone in the party and how she always imagined, oh she meant thought that she would be with Lucas first. No offense to Will of course he was great, it was just that-

“I’m gay.” Will blurted.

What the fuck. WHAT THE Fuck. W h at tH EfuCK wiLL.

“What?” 

“I-I’m gay.” Will repeated, whispering, as if there was anyone else around. There wasn’t.

“Oh.” Max replied, and for a split second, only a split second, she doesn’t say anything. It’s still horrifying. “I know.” 

“What?” 

“I know.” Max repeated in a gentle voice, volume matching Will’s own. “I wasn’t sure if you were out, but I kind of guessed you weren’t. I wasn’t 100% sure you were gay at first, but after you didn’t seem that into dancing with that girl at the Snowball, I kind of assumed.”

“Oh.” Will is sort of unsure if the ground really is beneath his feet.

“But thanks for telling me though. I like that you trust me.” Max tries, sensing invisible tension and probable fear wafting from Will.

“You’re welcome, I guess.” Will says, laughing when Max did. “You’re the-um you’re the first person I’ve ever told.”

Max smiled, and gets a soft, knowing look in the gleams of her maya blue eyes. “I won’t tell anyone. Really. I’m cool with it, and I think the party and your mom will be too. But-”  
“Yeah I know.” Will interrupted. “People will always be homophobic.”

“It’s bullshit.” 

“Yeah.” It is.

Will’s mom’s car pulls up right then, and Will and Max look at each other, and walked towards it, silent again. There’s an unspoken agreement to move on from that conversation.   
They ride the car ride with smiles on their faces, and pretend nothing happened. 

They both know it did though.


End file.
